Ah, Paddington! Mythical land of South American bears, the Heathrow Express and the Marylebone Flyover! It’s fair to say that this is more of a “just passing through” sort of place. But with the completion of Crossrail fast approaching, that’s all about to change. Even as we speak, Paddington’s busy “doing a Kings Cross”, a phrase we did not just invent to mean “pulling its socks up”. And since we’ve got our finger on the pulse of this city, we’re getting in on the action with our brand-new barbershop in Paddington, opening this June in Sheldon Square. In between sharpening our scissors and stocking the drinks cupboard (we have whiskey!), we’ve managed to squeeze in a bit of time to explore our new home, starting with the local watering holes. There’s loads more on our radar (watch this space), but here are some of our favourites so far.

The Best Bars in Paddington

Heist Bank

Heist Bank – one of the best bars in Paddington

5 N Wharf Road, W2 1LA

“Beer. Pizza. Flowers” promises the home page of the Heist Bank website. We’re not so sure about the flowers, but they definitely deliver on the first two. This beer and pizza is a far cry from your typical Friday night takeaway. For starters, there are twelve artisan beers and ciders on tap, including two guest brews and a further dozen or so bottles in the fridge. Should any of the tap beers grab your fancy, you can buy a growler (that’s a refillable three-pint jug, yours to keep for £6) to take home. Surely that huge selection of artisan beers makes it one of the best bars in Paddington. Oh, and the pizza’s pretty good as well – all on sourdough bases, obviously. That Franco Manca has a lot to answer for.

Salt Bar

Salt Bar – one of the best bars in Paddington

82 Seymour Street, W2 2JB

Salt Bar first opened its doors as a dedicated whisky bar, with over 200 different bottles on offer. Not just one of the best bars in Paddington, now it’s an Indian restaurant (which somehow also serves chicken Caesar salad and falafel wraps). In addition to your lamb biryanis and single malts, they also have a shisha patio with an Irn Bru flavour on the menu. Just in case you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to inhale Scotland’s favourite soft drink. It’s about a twenty-minute walk from our barbershop in Paddington, but we reckon the W2 postcode still makes it local.

Monkey Puzzle

Monkey Puzzle – one of the best bars in Paddington

30 Southwick Street, W2 1JQ

With a name like that, it’s hard not to feel affectionate about the Monkey Puzzle before you even set foot in the bar. It’s tucked away on the corner of Southwick Street – convenient, but far enough from nearby Edgware Road to keep it hidden from the crowds. Which is kind of a shame if you think about it, because this is exactly what a British pub ought to be if at all possible. It’s got friendly staff, good beer, a covered garden, a landlord called Gary and it’s just ten minutes door to door from our barbershop in Paddington. Sorry, tourists, but we’re keeping this one to ourselves.

The Victoria

The Victoria – one of the best bars in Paddington

10A Strathearn Place, W2 2NH

Legend has it that Charles Dickens wrote part of his 1865 novel “Our Mutual Friend” while enjoying a pint of ale (presumably) upstairs at The Victoria. Judging by first appearances, not much has changed since then – in terms of interior design, anyway. Yes, it’s a Fullers pub and yes, they serve salt and pepper squid with aioli, but there’s not a splinter of blonde wood or exposed brick in sight. It’s what you might call charming or “charming”, depending on your point of view. We’re firmly in the former camp. There’s nothing pretentious about the Victoria – it’s still a quiet place to relax with a pint of London Pride while you toil away at your masterpiece. Why mess with perfection? It really is one of the best bars in Paddington.

About Pall Mall Barbers

Providing a traditional service in a modern manner, Pall Mall Barbers has a long established history of providing hairdressing and grooming to gentlemen, dating back over 120 years. Founded in 1896 at No. 27 Whitcomb Street, The Pall Mall Toilet Saloon, as it was historically known, was a standout in St James’ and Pall Mall. Pall Mall Barbers has grown and evolved over the years, and across our 6 London locations in Trafalgar Square, Fitzrovia, Bishopsgate, King’s Cross, Westminster and Paddington, we employ a staff with over 350 years of international barbering experience between them. We train our barbers on the fundamentals of exceptional hair cutting, beard shaping, and wet-shaving and base our service around educating our clients to help them get the best of their look and grooming routines. We produce award-winning grooming including a 5-Step Shave System for use at home and in barber shops, as well as a selection of styling and haircare products.